Profiles

Cobey Inc. may not be as large as some of its competitors, but the company’s modest size allows it to be more nimble when meeting customers’ needs. “We’ve been able to swing from oil and gas to petrochemical to power gen or any of the different industries that utilize rotating equipment,” co-owner and Vice President Eric J. McKendry declares.

The company also can go wherever its clients need it, which can range from the Alaska North Slope to a desert in Saudi Arabia. “We’ve really had to cover it all,” he says.

Hiring and lean processes are at the core of Estes Design and Manufacturing’s operations.

By Jim Harris

Estes Design and Manufacturing Inc. looks for more than qualifications and experience when it hires new staff members. “We’re looking for people of character,” Vice President of Operations Ron Estes says. “We put a lot of effort into the pre-employment screening process to make sure the people we hire are dependable, trustworthy and motivated. We want people who will retire with us.”

The Indianapolis-based company’s screening efforts have paid off in employee loyalty and low turnover. A few of the company’s employees have worked at Estes Design and Manufacturing since it opened its doors in 1976, and several others have been there for 35 years or longer.

Towlift expanded into the Pittsburgh region as the exclusive dealer for MCFA and Kalmar products.

By Tim O’Connor

Since Gerald Cannon founded the company in 1965, Ohio-based Towlift has been a leading provider and servicer of material handling equipment. With over 50 years in business, Towlift’s experience working with diverse industries helps it understand its customer’s unique needs and advise them on material handling best practices. Towlift offers a diverse portfolio of products including industry-leading forklifts, warehouse equipment, pallet racking, rail car movers and many other related industrial products from top manufacturers.

Much of its longevity can be attributed to committed long-term employees and consistent family-owned leadership. Towlift has successfully transitioned into its third generation of family ownership.

“Exciting changes are happening at Towlift”, comments Ryan Harmon, general manager of Towlift-Pittsburgh. “Matt Adams, Towlift’s current third-generation president has a long-term strategy and is making investments for the company to continue to grow in the future.”

Humidity is a unique challenge for every building. A number of variables can impact the moisture within a space, from the local climate to the structure’s purpose. Flexibility is critical to developing a dehumidifying solution – which is why even Desert Aire’s standard dehumidifier product lines have 5.9 million permutations. That’s not even including its custom products, which are built from scratch for specific applications.

When Desert Aire was founded in 1978, its focus was on solving indoor swimming pool dehumidifying applications for residential homes in the Milwaukee metro area. The company has since evolved its products to handle a much wider range of applications, from creating comfortable office environments to controlling the humidity in facilities where mink fur is dried. “If the need for dehumidification is part of what the customer wants, then we have an interest in talking,” President Keith Coursin says.

Engman-Taylor’s technical services help it stand out from larger distributors.

By Jim Harris

Engman-Taylor President Rick Star knows the industrial distribution company he leads faces intense competition from much larger entities. Instead of fearing its national and multinational “big box” competitors, however, the company works hard to ensure its customers look to it first to fulfill their supply needs.

“The way we successfully compete against these companies is to do things they cannot,” he says. “The big boxes do not focus on the technical support element, they are more focused on transactions. Although we are also experts in transactional sales, we can offer technical support that our competitors cannot.”

Truck bodies haven’t changed much in the past few decades. Most trucks are still made from aluminum or fiberglass-reinforced plywood and the general box shape remains the best way to maximize cargo space. That’s not to say the industry is stagnant, rather that the most significant improvements have come not from the products, but in the way they are made.

“The big innovation in our industry has not been the product, but the actual manufacturing process,” says Steve Schafer, COO of Multivans, a Canadian truck body manufacturer.

Chassix will open a new casting facility in the Czech Republic to expand its global footprint in support of European growth and its market leading global position.

By Janice Hoppe-Spiers

Chassix is a vertically integrated supplier for the automotive industry, specializing in high-quality precision chassis casting and machining solutions. Its niche is in aluminum and ductile iron casting with six foundries and 17 machining plants around the world to support its customers’ needs.

Leveraging regional production in North America, South America, Europe and China, the Southfield, Mich.-based company is able to respond quickly and cost-effectively to automakers’ safety critical casting and machining needs around the world. “Our focus on our global capabilities is a competitive advantage and we plan on maintaining that and taking it even further,” says Eric Rouchy, vice president of engineering and launch. “Our major OEM customers are looking for vertically integrated suppliers. There are more and more global platforms and to remain competitive, it’s key to have those capabilities worldwide.”

GatesAir is taking its clients into the future with innovative, over-the-air content delivery solutions.

By Kat Zeman

In the world of broadcasting, both industry standards and technology change at a rapid pace. GatesAir, a global leader in wireless, over-the-air content delivery solutions for radio and TV broadcasters, is prepared to help guide its clients into the future.

“As broadcasters around the world tackle these challenges, they’re turning to the company with the scale, technology, solutions, quality, reliability and customer support to help them come out ahead of the competition,” says Bryant Burke, vice president of global operations and services.

GatesAir believes it is that company. It has been powering over-the-air networks worldwide for nearly 100 years. The company provides complete solutions for over-the-air radio and television broadcasting, leveraging wireless spectrum to maximize performance for multichannel, mission-critical services.

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